


Holistic Medicine

by thatfragilecapricorn



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28883394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatfragilecapricorn/pseuds/thatfragilecapricorn
Summary: Season 3, Mulder is injured in the hospital
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	Holistic Medicine

Mulder regained consciousness by degrees. First, he heard the beeping of machines and the scuffling of non-slip shoes on linoleum. Then, he felt the scratchiness of a cheap pillowcase beneath his cheek and the prick of an IV needle in his hand, which made him realize he was in the hospital. Mulder’s other hand was in much better shape - there were soft, warm fingers grasping his and if he concentrated on that light touch, the pounding in his head lessened.

When Mulder finally opened his eyes, eyelids batting away the last of the fogginess, his suspicion was confirmed. He was lying in a hospital bed and to his delight the warm fingers encircling his were Scully’s. She had pulled a blue plastic chair all the way to the edge of his bed, close enough that her knees were touching the mattress. However, Scully was fast asleep, which provided Mulder the opportunity to observe her. He was amused at how she had contorted her body so that she could reach across the bed to hold his hand and still stay seated in the chair. Despite the awkward position, Scully looked softer, her hard edges eroded away in sleep. He didn’t want to wake her, but he knew she would need several visits to the chiropractor if she stayed in that position for any length of time. 

Mulder squeezed her hand and said her name, which first came out as a croak until he cleared his throat.

“Scully,” he tried again.

She sat up quickly, as if part of her brain had been on alert. Like any true military daughter and former med student, Scully could fall asleep anywhere - rental cars, airport terminals and apparently even hard hospital chairs - but she roused just as easily. 

“Mulder,” she stated after realizing that he was awake. “How are you feeling?” She pulled her hand back to rub at her eyes before learning closer to look him over. Even in the low lighting Mulder could see that the sharpness had returned to her face as she pivoted to serious Dr. Scully mode and he was determined to soften those edges once again.

“Like I got hit by a car,” he said with a chuckle.

“Very funny,” she said, trying to sound stern but it didn’t work because she was fighting a small smile. There is it, he thought. 

“How long have I been here?” he asked.

“Only a few hours,” Scully said with a yawn that she tried to hide behind her hand.

Mulder glanced at the clock: it was almost one in the morning. He looked closer at Scully and realized that she was paler than usual and her eyes were bloodshot, clear signs that she was exhausted. Not only was it late, but they had been working round the clock on this latest case. Until now, of course.  
“Scully, why don’t you go back to the motel and get some sleep?” Mulder suggested. He felt guilty that she was missing out on sleep while he was in the hospital for doing something stupid again.

She sat up a little straighter in the chair. “No, I’m fine! You can go back to sleep, Mulder, and I’ll just stay here. Maybe I’ll take another nap.”

Mulder knew that Scully didn’t trust some of the small-time hospitals they ended up in on out-of-town cases and she must have insisted to the nurse that she be allowed to stay past visiting hours, probably flashing her badge authoritatively. The image of Scully bossing around hospital staff so that she could tend to her partner warmed Mulder’s heart, the same way that sunlight through the car windshield on an otherwise cold winter day warmed one’s face.

“Well, if you’re going to stay, you can’t sleep in that chair,” he said pointedly.

Scully raised her eyebrows, looking confused, so Mulder patted the bed next to him. 

“There’s plenty of room here. And you’re small enough.”

Scully shook her head, “No, Mulder, you need to rest. Plus it’s against hospital policy. I already had to bully my way to stay in your room and I don’t want to give the staff another reason to kick me out.”

Mulder smiled; he was right about the badge and the bossiness. Even more reason why he had to convince her to take him up on his offer.

“Aw, come on, Scully. I’ll be better able to sleep if I know that you aren’t sitting in that uncomfortable chair all night. You don’t want me to be stressed about your back, right?” he needled.

Scully seemed ready to give in, because she glanced at the door. Not hearing or seeing anyone, she gingerly sat on the bed next to Mulder. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer.

“Mulder!” she whispered urgently, keeping her voice low so no one would hear. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” he said. He figured he was allowed certain liberties since he was injured in the hospital. He knew Scully would just blame it on his pain medication, which would allow her to give into his whims without overthinking anything.

She settled slowly into the bed and laid her head gently on his chest. “You’ll tell me if you need me to move?” she asked softly.

“I won’t,” Mulder replied. He was already feeling better because Scully was nice and warm pressed against his side, an analgesic to his sore muscles and bruised limbs. 

“I’ll just stay until you fall back asleep,” she claimed, but Mulder could already feel her breathing slow down and even out, indicating that she herself was falling asleep. He chuckled lightly and brushed his fingers once through her hair. Mulder found her rhythmic respiration to be very soothing. He tried to match his breaths to hers and he felt his own eyes closing, heading back to slumber.

\-------

The nurse entered the hospital room of her patient F. Mulder (male, DOB 10/13/61) and realized that the FBI agent who demanded to be allowed to stay past visiting hours was curled up in bed with said patient. She sighed; it wouldn’t be the first time she would have to evict a visitor for impeding a patient’s recovery. But since they were both asleep, she decided it could wait until she finished her duties.

The nurse checked the patient’s chart and then the monitors beside his bed. Then she checked them again. All of his vitals looked surprisingly good. Both his heart rate and blood pressure were the lowest they’d been since he’d arrived, now back in normal range. His oxygen saturation had also improved, so the nasal cannula could be removed once he was awake. 

The nurse glanced back down at the sleeping couple for a moment and then quietly left the room without waking either of them up. She closed the door on the way out, so they wouldn’t be disturbed by anyone else until the morning rounds.


End file.
